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What could be going on?

DS will be 5 months old on the 19th of this month. He has had 2-3 times where I guess it was a growth spurt, he'd want to nurse literally every.single.hour on the hour day/night for 3-7 days, then things would go back to normal, so to speak. Well, well over a week ago, he started not sleeping at all at night! I mean we see every single hour all night long and he is just restless, not sleeping at all. He has always been a fast nurser, usually 8-15 minutes at the very longest. He's not super fussy during the day and he's not fussy at night, just restless at night. He nurses and then goes right back to sleep.

Our pedi told me at his 4-month appointment, that was actually this week because we're a bit behind, that there's no way my milk is able to keep up with him, that it takes time for your milk to come back in after it's emptied. PLEASE, someone, anyone, tell me she's wrong and that he is getting nourishment when he nurses!!!!!

Here's what I know: He has plenty of wet/dirty diapers; every single feeding, I check my breasts by squeezing and milk freely comes out, sometimes squirts out if he nurses just 3-4 minutes when he comes off; he goes to babysitter's about once a week and I always pump more than he takes in; he's gaining fine according to the pedi, he was 8 lbs 11 oz and he's 14 lbs 11 oz now.

All of that makes me think he's getting plenty and it's not a supply issue, but everyone I talk to (who, honestly, doesn't know much about BFing) seems to want to blame these issues on BFing. BTW, that truly does gripe me!!!! I mean, if he was formula-fed, what would everyone blame all his problems on?????

Ladies, I'm EXHAUSTED!!!!! I'm so tired I want to cry!!!!! Am I doing something wrong? I've tried co-sleeping, as that's what we've done with my DD since she was born (she's 6 and decided to start sleeping in her own bed recently, lol), but he doesn't want to sleep while being held!!! He loves to be cuddled but when he's tired, he wants to be put down! I've swaddled him, he sleeps in his swing. From about 6 weeks to 13-ish weeks he slept 9-10 hours a night. I knew then that that probably wouldn't last, but I'd kill for a good 3-4 hour stretch!!!!!!!

Is there a way I can check/tell if he's not getting enough and that's why he's hungry acting?

Before Christmas, we both had a nasty cold virus. He didn't eat a lot then and I ended up pumping between feedings because I was afraid of my supply going down. I was pretty sick, too, and tried to stay hydrated but did take Sudafed and Benadryl at different times 2-3 times. But that was a couple weeks before he started this, so that couldn't have damaged my supply, right?

Re: What could be going on?

If you formula-fed, they wouldn't blame breastfeeding. But they'd still blame you. You're too nervous. You hold him too much. You don't hold him enough. You're not warming his bottles the right way. You're using the wrong formula. You need to put rice cereal in the bottles. You need to put him on a schedule. You need to take him off the schedule. Everyone is a critic and they will always find a way to make it about what you, the mom, are doing wrong!

Your doc gave you absolutely ridiculous advice about breastfeeding. Seriously, she made it up out of thin air. It is absolutely incorrect that your milk "can't keep up" with your baby's demands- just ask all of us who have had babies who have survived and thrived on nothing but breastmilk (and the occasional cheerio) until they were toddlers. The more often you nurse, the more milk you make, and you don't need to wait for your breasts to "fill up" in between nursing sessions in order to provide sufficient nutrition for your baby. Obviously you are doing just fine- your baby is growing nicely, you have abundant milk, and you're seeing lots of wet and poopy diapers!

I am willing to bet money that the culprit here is teething. Even if you don't see the teeth coming in, you can be sure they're moving around down in his gums, causing lots of discomfort. Will your LO sleep in his swing at night? If so, I'd use it! If not, well, this too shall pass. You're doing a wonderful job, mama!

Re: What could be going on?

I'm shocked by your doctor's advice. It's just PATENTLY WRONG.

I totally second teething, and just wanted to say: GAH, I had one of these kids too. Restless, kicking, nursing, up, down, sideways, ALL. NIGHT. LONG. I thought he might kill me with sleep deprivation. But he was growing and putting on weight great, thriving in every other way. He just didn't seem to frickin' sleep. Well, then he got like six teeth in two months? And six more in the next two months?

So. Yeah.

Tylenol? If it helps and he sleeps better, you know he's uncomfy. If it doesn't do anything, well, nothing lost.

You can call me JoMo!

Mom to baby boy Joe, born 5/4/09 and breastfed for more than two and a half years, and baby girl Maggie, born 7/9/12.

Re: What could be going on?

Thanks, ladies!!!! I just knew our pedi was wrong!!! And she BF'd both her kiddos! But in my gut I knew that couldn't be right, kwim? But since I'm not from a family of BFing mamas (nobody I'm close to BF'd irl), I really didn't know 100% for sure! I'm okay with sleepless nights....well, sort of, lol.....but I didn't like the thought that he may be hungry and not getting enough from me! But I also knew that even if that was the case, the best thing to do was nurse him on demand so that it would tell my body to make more, right? Maybe he is teething! That occurred to me but since I didn't see anything I didn't think it was possible. I may try Tylenol or some orajel or something to see if that helps him.

Re: What could be going on?

What you describe is well within normal for a healthy child. Maybe teeth. Maybe a virus. Who knows. Stop doubting yourself and just nurse. The fastest way to build your supply...breastfeed

I'm going to say it again...my BOTTLEFED baby is a HORRIBLE sleeper. He is very fussy at times. He is a total mommy addict; if I move at all, he comes running back to me and demands to be picked up. Why? I don't breastfeed him. It's because he is a BABY, and his very survival depends on making sure I am there with him 24-7. That's all.

Re: What could be going on?

Yeah my LO went full force teething around 4=5mos -- but his teeth didn't start cutting through until 8mos (he cut 2 in the same day). And now at 9mos, he's cutting another two within days of each other. My pediatrician told me he couldn't be teething yet at 4mos -- but it was all the classic symptoms.

Great advice from all the PPs. Sometimes you have to go with your gut, and ignore the doc .

3/2011 {EBF to 6mos, now BF and BLS, CD, EC'ing since 5mos - in underwear at 11mos, and babywearing} Babywearing International has chapters - see if there's one near you... most have lending libraries!